A bit late to the party on this one but wow a really good story, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Joy Ellis is a fantastic writer and this was no exception. There are two threads in the story, a missing boy and old Molly the homeless lady. It’s intriguing, interesting and tense. This is my favourite of the series so far. It could be read as a stand alone but it would be best to read from book one so that you get to know the characters and their back stories. A great read!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. What a ride! I loved this book. The story was excellent and fast paced. Kept me guessing until the surprising conclusion. Highly recommend

This is a great read, I loved it! Now I want to read the rest of the series! I was drawn into the story right away with great writing. I love the characters, and the small town vibe. The two mysteries kept me glued to the pages! No spoilers, just read it!

I enjoyed this book very much. Fast flowing, twisty and turny, a compelling story. An easy read with lots of characters (I did lose track of a couple along the way but it didn't seem to matter too much. Nicely pulled together at the end. The characterisation was fairly good although the two young men spoke as if they were in their forties rather than their twenties but most people probably wouldn't notice that!
I would recommend, a good read.

I don't know how Joy Ellis does it. Few authors manage to write three crime series simultaneously and keep up a consistent 5 star story but she seems to do it seamlessly. Every time I read one of her books I think this is my favourite series so it goes without saying that the Haynes/Ballard books are foremost in my mind at the moment. I love a good mystery and have pretty good organisational skills so the idea of going through Old Molly's bag of what seems to be the musings of an homeless woman really appealed to me. I was very happy to see the return of Liz's nephew David in this book. He's a really likeable character and I love the way he looks after Liz. The addition of his mate Jeff who is working on a separate case with Matt was an added bonus. The jewel in the crown of Joy's work is of course senior pathologist Rory Wilkinson. He doesn't feature in every book but as soon as he appears in his ancient Citroen it puts a smile on my face. Cleverly the author left a couple of minor loose ends in this book which has me wondering just what direction she will take with them and looking forward to finding out.

This isn't the first Joy Ellis book I have read but this is the first book in this series. I realize that puts me at a disadvantage. There is obviously a lot of back story that I missed that probably would have made the book more enjoyable. I have enjoyed the other Joy Ellis books I have read.
I thought the plot here was a bit contrived. Even after the mystery was solved i felt things were not resolved in my mind. Part of the plot was interesting but in the final analysis didn't really make much sense. I also thought there was too much unnecessary detail. There were conversations between characters that were unnecessary and contributed nothing to the plot, conversations that felt like the author was just filling space. I would say not here best effort.

Matt and Liz investigate the dead of a bag lady Old Molly. She had an old carpet bag with papers that make no
sense. But those papers lead to her death in some way.
Thanks to the publisher Joffe Books and to NetGalley for the ARC.

Dark, Intriguing..
The sixth in the Detective Matt Ballard series and a seemingly abandoned carpet bag is the catalyst which sparks an intriguing mystery. When a body is later discovered, cryptic clues may be the key to unlocking whatever it is that is happening- but not before another body makes an appearance. With a cast of well defined and deftly drawn characters and with a dark and compelling plot brimming with twists, this is another successful entry to this series.

Another fabulous read in the series, it has a parnell story line that is easy to follow which had me gripped. I look forward to reading more

Liz is visiting the library when she comes across an old carpet bag that is believed to belong to the Old Molly, a local homeless woman. When attempts to locate Molly come up short, Liz cannot help but want to solve this mystery. She is a retired detective after all!

In the bag are handwritten notes and Liz begins to piece together Molly’s story through them, Matt is also on the case of a missing teenager. His case and Liz’s intertwine, and shocking secrets will be discovered. Once Molly is found murdered, Liz and Matt put their detective skills to work to help the police catch a killer.

Can they find out what is going on and locate the missing teen?

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fabulous addition to the Matt Ballard books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the various secrets that were revealed throughout. I was also delighted the wonderful Rory Wilkinson, my favourite character, made an appearance. This book as ever delivers a compelling storyline with believable characters.

The Bag of Secrets by Joy Ellis is the sixth book in the DCI Matt Ballard series and I have just loved it. From the very first book called Beware the Past I have been hooked and look forward reading the nest instalment in this series. I love the DCI Matt Ballard character and Liz's character is brilliant as well they work well together. This book was full of twists and turns with a great story line. If you want a great cozy series Joy Ellis's books are the ones for you.

This is another excellent novel by Joy Ellis featuring Matt and Liz who left the police force to start a private detective agency. In this book they are investigating the death of an old lady named Molly who lived on the streets and also the disappearance of a missing boy. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good murder mystery as I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I did all her books!

contemporary, crime-fiction, ex-cop, homelessness, murder-investigation, friendship, friends, suspense, rural, private-investigators, cooperation, detective-duo, England, small-business, small-town, riveting, unpleasant-co-worker, unputdownable, working-partners*****

I'm late to the party on this series, but I loved this one anyway.
Matt was a DCI and Liz was a DS until they were invalided out because of things that happened On The Job and now are working together as private investigators. They are motivated to due diligence to serve justice no matter who the victim was, but they are paired with a self-serving self-entitled as their liaison with the police (who are stretched way too far). The cases are very complex. Who was the homeless woman, really, and why did she fear exposure? What happened to the self-absorbed teenager who ran away AGAIN but didn't return this time?
Excellent plot, investigations, twists, characters, and the ability to keep me reading on into the night! Now I want to go back in series to find out more of the detectives' backstories!
I requested and received an EARC from Joffe Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

This may be the 6th book in the DCI Matt Ballard series however I think it is the best yet.
Matt and his partner Liz may now be retired from the force but life is still sending investigations their way in their new career as private investigators.
This time around they find themselves looking into the death of a homeless woman, "Old Molly".
It becomes clear that Molly was murdered and when her old carpet bag turns up at the library filled with notes written on numerous scraps of paper.
As they set about following the clues she has left it becomes apparent that Molly was terrified of someone and had lived in fear for her friends as well as herself.
They know nothing about her life before she lived on the streets , what they discover is a totally not what they expected.
Matt is also currently on the case of a missing teenager. Liam Cooper.
He has run away before, somehow it seems different this time.
Little do they know their investigations will lead them to the exact same spot. Fantastic characters in a tale jam packed with tension and twists that is entertaining. a compulsive read you do not want to miss.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks NetGalley for a copy of bag of secrets. I am a big fan on joy Ellis and this book didn’t disappoint. Good story, believable characters. Just lacking a slight umph to her normal books but an enjoyable read

Liz and Matt, former police officers in their British town now run a private detective agency with their dining room as their situating room. This is a recent entry in a series I have not read and I really enjoyed it. Another former officer, Chris, asks them to look into a bag of papers that a street-living woman Molly left at the library. Matt is totally caught up in a missing teen case that looks serious this time. The kid has always been found/come home before. When a related death occurs, Liz brings in her nephew David to help go through Molly's papers and try to make some sense of them. Ultimately, a cast of former officers, friends of Molly's from her pre-street days, other street-living people and some villagers from a very insular town get involved in a mystery that the papers hint at. An inexperienced and large headed young police officer causes some trouble as their liaison. Nepotism.

I appreciate how well Ellis makes this readable as a stand alone book, giving me sufficient information to understand the various relationships without boring me or giving spoiler information. I expect I'll read more about the Ballards.

Thanks netgalley and Joy Ellis for this great book, have never read any other books with Liz Haynes and Matt Ballard before and why Liz was injured but you did not have to read any other of their books as this was a stand alone book.

Molly was murdered who would want to murder her, she was a bag lady had no enemies as far as was known, she was well loved by the community and had no enemies so why would anyone want to murder her.
It was up to Liz and Matt and their agency to find out why molly was murdered and what did she have to do with the bunker, a place where people dissapeared.

This was a great book the first I have read by joy,Ellis and will,definitely keep an eye open for any more books by her I loved this one it was brilliant, a real five stars .

Ballard and Haynes have another intriguing mystery; they may now be Private Investigators but their former police tingly nodes are still working and the local Fenland force is glad of their help. A murdered down and out lady who turns out to have a far more interesting and sometimes glorious past, her old friends from the past, young people being offered places to exercise, train and have fun rather than hanging around and getting into drugs, some down and outs, librarians, notes, dragons, not to forget dogs - all set in the wind blasted Fens. Well thought out murder mystery, well-rounded characters, definitely not to be put down until the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

The bag of secrets by Joy Ellis.
DCI Matt Balkard book 6.
Matt and Liz may have retired from the police, but that doesn't guarantee a quiet life.
An abandoned carpet bag full of mysterious handwritten notes. A body in a marshy lagoon.
Matt is intrigued when his partner Liz brings home an old carpet bag she found dumped in the local library. It contains a pile of mysterious handwritten notes. Liz is convinced the bag belongs to Old Molly, a local woman who lives on the streets.
The following day, a body is discovered in a marshy lagoon. It's Old Molly. Suffocated with an expensive men's handkerchief.
I really enjoyed this book. I do love this series. Liz and Matt are a great team. Twisty and gripping. I'm looking forward to the next book. 5*.